After Hurricanes, Hail Damage, Or Extreme Flooding, Will Homeowners Insurance Be Enough To Help My Family Fully Recover?

 

While most homeowners do purchase insurance to protect their property, even if you do have a homeowners insurance policy, you are not necessarily protected against every conceivable risk.

There are two very different types of homeowners insurance policies sold in Texas:

1. Named perils policies cover only the damage caused by events and occurrences specifically named in the policy.
2. All-risk policies (comprehensive coverage) cover all causes of loss unless the policy specifically excludes them. This type of policy offers much broader coverage than the named perils policy.

Most homeowners insurance policies in Texas, regardless of whether they are named perils or all-risk, protect against the following dangers:

• Fire/smoke
• Lightning
• Vandalism and theft
• Sudden, accidental water damage (as opposed to damage resulting from rain and/or continuous and repeated seepage)

On the other hand, the following events are typically not covered:

• Earthquakes
• Termites, insects, and rodent damage
• Floods

Most Texas homeowners policies do protect against wind, hurricane, and hail damage, unless you live in one of the 14 coastal counties (such as Jefferson and Galveston counties) or in Harris County near the Galveston Bay. If you live in one of these high-risk areas, you may be required to purchase additional Wind and Hail insurance from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). If you are interested in this coverage, don’t wait, because once a hurricane enters the Gulf of Mexico, you may be barred from obtaining windstorm coverage in time.

Finally, the insurance company may unfairly deny or delay payment on your covered claim. In that event, you may need to hire the attorneys at Alford Law PLLC to help you fully recover after disaster strikes. Texas law prohibits insurance companies from engaging in unfair claim settlement practices, including failing to attempt in good faith to effect a prompt, fair, and equitable settlement. If the insurer violates Texas law, you may be able to recover, in addition to the amount of the claim, interest on the amount of the claim at the rate of 18 percent a year as damages, together with reasonable attorney’s fees.

If your home or commercial property has been damaged and the insurance company is not treating you fairly, call Alford Law PLLC now for a free, confidential consultation. Our property damage attorneys are on call – 24/7 – and are happy to answer any questions absolutely free of charge. You can find Alford Law PLLC online at www.injuredtexan.com or you can speak with an attorney now by calling 210-951-9467.